Chapter 160 Something's Not Right, Something's Very Not Right

Something was wrong.

Who was Jing Yuan? She was the Divine Foresight of the Xianzhou Luofu, an Emanator of The Hunt. Her mind was as deep as the Ancient Sea, and she commanded the devastating power of the Lightning-Lord.

Would such a person, even if dragged into an illusion, so naturally slip into the role of a high school sports representative and actually seem to be enjoying it? Even if Phantylia could skim surface memories to construct this dreamscape, could the will and vigilance of an Emanator-level powerhouse be so easily suppressed?

‘It’s just not possible,’ Chen thought, a cold certainty settling in his gut.

Unless… this Jing Yuan wasn’t the real person under delusion at all. Unless she was a complete fabrication from start to finish. Perhaps this entire elaborate high school drama was a stage built for a single audience member: him.

Chen decided he had to verify this hypothesis. He needed a breakthrough, a test to see if these phantoms adhered to any semblance of real-world logic. He needed to perform an action so out of place, so utterly bizarre, that it would force a complex, even intense, reaction in any real person. An action that might just expose the hollow core of these exquisite puppets.

He settled on a method that was simple, direct, and more than sufficiently outrageous.

For his first target, he chose Dan Heng, who was reading quietly by the library window. The atmosphere was serene and scholarly—the perfect backdrop for his experiment.

Chen walked over, forgoing the disruptive antics of before. He simply sat down in the chair opposite her, waiting patiently for her to look up from the pages. When her cool, placid eyes finally met his, he took a deep breath, schooling his features into a mask of earnest gravity.

With a hint of the clumsy nervousness he imagined was unique to a lovelorn youth, he lowered his voice. “Classmate Dan Heng… I, uh, I have something I want to say to you.”

Dan Heng closed her book, setting it aside with a soft thud. Her gaze remained fixed on him, calm and patient, waiting for him to continue.

“Ever since you transferred to our class, I’ve… I’ve always been paying attention to you,” Chen began, carefully weighing his words. His gaze flickered away for a moment, a practiced bit of feigned shyness, before he locked eyes with her again, his expression firm.

“Your grades are incredible, your personality is so steady, and you’re so serious and dedicated to everything you do.” He paused, letting the silence hang for a beat. “I… I really like you. Not the way you like a classmate, but… the kind of like where I want to be with you forever.”

He stared intently at Dan Heng’s face, watching for the slightest twitch, the most subtle change in expression.

A faint blush bloomed across Dan Heng’s cheeks, spreading at a speed visible to the naked eye. Her eyes, which were usually so composed, now held a flicker of what looked suspiciously like shyness… and was that joy?

The corners of her mouth curved upward into a soft, gentle smile. “Classmate Chen… thank you for telling me.”

She even tilted her head, a gesture of such uncharacteristic girlish bashfulness that it was almost painful to watch.

“Actually… I think you’re very special, too. Can we… start by studying together?”

Chen’s expression didn’t change. He simply nodded, said, “Okay,” and stood up to leave.

Internally, he was already seventy, eighty percent certain. This was all wrong.

His second target was March 7th. He found the boy chatting animatedly with a few girls near the school store, his laughter crisp and bright. Chen called his name, beckoning him over to a deserted corner of the courtyard.

“Classmate March 7th,” he said, deciding to be as straightforward as possible. “I think you’re especially cute, and I’m always happy when I’m around you. I like you. Let’s date.”

March 7th’s reaction was even more exaggerated than Dan Heng’s.

First, his eyes went wide as saucers. He clapped his hands over his face, which was instantly flushed a brilliant shade of crimson. He peeked at Chen through the gaps in his fingers, then suddenly dropped his hands, his eyes shining with a dazzling light as he nodded vigorously.

“R-Really?! Chen! Actually, I’ve been secretly paying attention to you, too! Even though you’re super annoying sometimes, you’re also super interesting! Okay, okay! Let’s date!”

He was so excited he actually jumped up and down on the spot. Then, he leaned in and gently bumped Chen’s shoulder with his own, his smile blindingly bright. He was enthusiastic, direct, and unreservedly happy.

But would the real March 7th—the boy who clung to his camera as his only link to a forgotten past—really be so unguarded? Would he agree so immediately to such an abrupt confession?

Chen shook his head inwardly. Not a chance.

He found Jing Yuan next, lounging under the shade of a large tree. He used the same blunt, unadorned words to express his admiration.

After listening, Jing Yuan’s characteristically lazy smile seemed to soften. A strange, almost eerie hint of doting affection crept into her golden eyes. “My, my. To be confessed to so directly by the cute Classmate Chen… this is truly a novel experience.”

She chuckled softly, a sound like wind chimes. “Since it’s you, I suppose it’s not out of the question. The future looks quite promising, Classmate Chen.”

Finally, there was Caelus. She was sitting alone by a flower bed, her gaze lost in the passing clouds.

Chen walked over and squatted down in front of her, looking directly into her own golden eyes. He spoke with deliberate seriousness. “Caelus, you’re always so quiet, but I think you’re very special. I want to protect you, and I want to… be with you forever. Are you willing?”

Caelus tilted her head, her face as expressionless as ever, but her eyes were clear and focused. She seemed to think for a moment, then nodded, her movements sharp and decisive.

“Mm. I’m willing,” she replied, her voice brief but firm. “With you.”

She was far more decisive than her usual, slightly dazed self. Another glaring flaw in the script.

After completing his rounds, Chen found himself standing at the edge of the school’s rooftop, looking down at the vibrant, sun-drenched campus below.

Every single confession, regardless of the person or the method, had received a positive, even slightly shy and encouraging response. There was no rejection, no doubt, and none of the complexity, sense of distance, or individual differences that should exist in real social interactions.

In this illusion… he seemed to have become a nexus of absolute charm, a place where every emotional demand could be perfectly and instantly satisfied.

“Ha…” A cold, sharp laugh escaped Chen’s lips. “Phantylia.”

His voice was low, laced with contempt.

“Is this the extent of your imagination? Creating a gaggle of obedient puppets to act out this low-quality harem drama? This little appetizer of despair you’ve cooked up is utterly distasteful.”

As if in response to his mockery, the entire world rippled. The scenery blurred and distorted like a reflection in disturbed water.

The figures he had just confessed to—the bashful Dan Heng, the ecstatic March 7th, the doting Jing Yuan, and the quietly nodding Caelus—materialized around him, their forms shimmering into clarity. They formed a loose circle, trapping him at the rooftop’s edge.

Their faces still wore those perfect, placid smiles as they issued an invitation in a chilling, overlapping unison:

“Classmate Chen, don’t stand over there, it’s dangerous.”

“Chen, come back.”

“We still have so many, many things to do together…”

“We can study together…”

“We can play together…”

“Drink tea together…”

“Watch the stars together…”

“We can be together forever and ever…”

Their voices began to twist, the words becoming more cloying, more absurd.

“Cuddle…”

“Kiss…”

“Have many, many babies…”

“Forever… forever… forever…”

[Elysian’s Note: Having a good time with the story? Every single bit helps immensely: